1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to a low speed collision avoidance system. In particular, the low speed collision avoidance system includes a control module that effects vehicle operation below a predetermined low velocity and when the vehicle is stopped.
2. Background Information
Collisions between a vehicle and an object or another vehicle often occur when a vehicle is traveling at a low speed or when the vehicle is beginning to move from a stopped position. For example, a collision may occur while a person is driving in high congestion traffic at low speeds. Frequent emergency braking situations arise. If the driver is temporarily preoccupied and fails to apply the brake when the vehicle in front is stopped, a collision occurs. A collision may also arise when a driver, in a parked vehicle, accidentally shifts the vehicle to drive instead of reverse or reverse instead of drive and then presses the accelerator and causes the vehicle to proceed into an object that the driver was aware of, but did not anticipate hitting. Alternatively, collisions may occur both at low speed and when leaving a parking situation when the driver does not see an object that is in the path of the traveling vehicle.
Conventional collision protection systems have provided warnings for objects detected in the rear of a vehicle when the vehicle is backing up. Other conventional systems provide an indication of the distance to an object when the vehicle is traveling at a high velocity, such as provided in an adaptive cruise control system. The present invention will provide a system for prevention of vehicle collision both when the vehicle is being operated by a driver at low speed in the forward or reverse direction and when the driver is beginning to move the vehicle from a stopped position.